Two folk theorems in topological dynamics (Q300502)

This paper provides the proofs of two basic results in topological dynamics. Let \((X,T)\) denote a flow, that is, a jointly continuous action of the topological group \(T\) on the compact space \(X\). It is said that two points \(x\) and \(y\) in \(X\) are proximal (\((x,y)\in \text{P}\)) if for every neighborhood \(W\) of the diagonal \(\Delta\) there is \(t\in T\) such that \((tx,ty)\in W\). If \(x\) and \(y\) are not proximal, they are said to be distal, and the flow is distal if any pair of distinct points are distal. Theorem 1. Let \(\pi :X\rightarrow Y\) be a homomorphism of flows such that if \((x,x')\in \text{P}\) then \(\pi(x)=\pi(y)\). Then \(Y\) is distal. The proof of this result is based on the notion of the Ellis' enveloping semigroup and the existence of idempotents in a minimal left ideal. For the proof of the second result the notion of regionally proximal relation RP is essential. The pair \((x,x')\in \text{RP}\) if there are nets \(\{x_i\}\) and \(\{x'_i\}\) in \(X\) and \(\{t_i\}\) in \(T\) with \(x_i\rightarrow x\), \(x'_i\rightarrow x'\) and \(t_i(x_i,x'_i)\rightarrow\Delta\). Clearly \(\text{P}\subseteq \text{RP}\). Theorem 2. Let \(\pi :X\rightarrow Y\) be a homomorphism of flows, with \(\pi(\text{RP})=\Delta\). Then \((Y,T)\) is equicontinuous. Relative versions of these theorems are also considered.